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Spencer’s Surprise Gifts

After eating, Mrs. P offered to load the dishwasher but Kate protested. “You go on, and play games with Sarah. I don’t mind helping after such a great meal.”

“If you insist…” Kate didn’t think it was right. Spencer pulled Kate away saying, “I have something for you to do anyway.” He knew why Mrs. P had volunteered to clean up. “Put your coat on and we’ll take Buttons for a short walk.”

Kate looked at Spencer like he had grown horns. “You want to take Buttons for a walk, now?”

“Yep, come on, it doesn’t have to be a long one.” He was already getting his out of the closet. “Sarah will be fine with Mrs.P for a few minutes and Buttons needs his exercise.”

“If you say so,” Kate said, not quite sure. Nonetheless she pulled out her coat and slipped it on around her cast the best she could. Kate pulled Buttons’ leash off the hook and he started going crazy. “Hold on, hold on. Sit still,” she admonished him so she could get his leash on. Soon they were outside where the temperature hovered around twenty degrees. “This is going to be a very quick walk,” Kate said, trying to breathe.

“Just over this way,” Spencer said. He led her across the parking lot in the opposite direction of the sidewalk. “Where are we going?” Kate asked.

“Right here.” Spencer stopped at a new car and unlocked it with a fob.

“You bought a new car?” Kate was confused. She didn’t know he had been in the market. The car in question was a new silver Honda Accord, four door.

“Yep.” He handed her the key fob. “Here you go.”

Kate was holding Buttons’ leash and didn’t reach for it. “I’m a little confused. If you bought a new car, why are you giving me the key?”

“Because it’s your key and your car.”

Kate looked at him and then the car. She finally realized what he said. “You bought me a car?!”

“Do you like it?”

“Spencer! You can’t buy me a car! That’s-that’s insane!”

Spencer gently removed the leash from her hand and put the key in it. “I can. I did. Now get in and see if you like it.” Buttons was pulling on the leash, not wanting to stop walking so soon. He was a little irritated with the humans. Spencer opened the driver door and gestured she get in.

Kate couldn’t believe what he had done. He was crazy. But she slid in and shut the door and started the engine to get some heat going. Spencer got in on the passenger side and said, “Well?”

“You are absolutely crazy! Why did you do this?”

“I knew we would need a new family car and yours was obviously no good. So why not?”

“I’m flabbergasted. But thank you! I wish I could drive it.”

“In a week or two you will. Do you like it?”

Kate had been looking at the dashboard, pulling the visor down and reading the instruments. “It’s perfect.” She looked in the backseat and there was a car seat already installed. “You are too much.” Buttons was sniffing around from Spencer’s lap. “There’s something in the glove box.”

She gave him a look that said, ‘what now’? But Kate pulled open the glove box to reveal a small square box. She pulled it out with her good hand and managed to get it open. She gasped when she saw the diamond ring nestled inside.

“Kate, will you marry me?” Spencer asked.

“Yes.” She looked at Spencer and repeated, “Yes. Absolutely.”

“I love you,” he said, leaning over to kiss her the best he could with Buttons in between them and the hindrance of Kate’s cast.

“I love you, too.” They shared another kiss and then Buttons started barking, breaking them apart. Mrs. P was coming toward them, with Sarah in her arms all bundled up. Kate and Spencer got out and Mrs. P asked, “Well?”

“She said yes.”

“I said yes.” She showed them her ring. “Sarah, Spencer and I are going to get married and that means that he will be your daddy.”

Mrs. P smiled from ear to ear. “Congratulations! A celebration is in order. One of you pop the trunk,” she said before putting Sarah down. Mrs. P retrieved a bakery box from the trunk. “Let’s have cake!”

Spencer scooped up Sarah, and held her while Kate took Buttons and her new jewelry she couldn’t wait to put on. They went inside and took their coats off. Mrs. P offered to cut the cake and Sarah danced around singing, “New daddy. New daddy.”

Kate put her ring on and admired it from different angles. She gave Spencer another kiss and said, “We’ll talk later.”

Spencer nodded. “Looking forward to it. Merry Christmas, Kate.”

“You, too.”

A few minutes later they all sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and shared a delicious chocolate cake.